The Bottom Line
Pros
- Well-written handbook
- Accessible to lay readers
- Nicely organized
- Includes resource list
Cons
- Content based on very limited research
- Line drawings inadequate to provide guidance
- Likely to cause parents undue anxiety
- Few useful directions for parents
- Recommends controversial treatments for infants
Description
- Subtitled "A Revolutionary Theory for Early Diagnosis"
- Includes glossary, index, note pages
- Published by Square One Publishers
Guide Review - Book Review: Does Your Baby Have Autism? by Philip and Osnat Teitelbaum
Philip Teitelbaum is a Ph.D. psychologist at the University of Florida where his wife, Osnat Teitelbaum is a researcher. Together, they developed a system for detecting babies at risk of autism. The system, which has not been accepted by the medical profession at large, is based on studies of 17 videos of infants who were later diagnosed with autism. This book encourages parents to observe and videotape their own children, and demand early diagnosis and treatment.While the book is well-written, I believe it's inappropriate to place the onus of observation, analysis and interpretation of subtle developmental clues in the hands of lay parents. Parents are often intuitive about their child's development, but they simply have no experience in observing or comparing neurological development in infants. What's worse, the book doesn't provide photos of the unusual movements and facial features described, but relies entirely on line drawings. This makes it even tougher for parents to accurately assess what they're seeing in their own child.
The Teitelbaums recommend that parents record their children over time, and then present their findings to their pediatrician. Unfortunately, no pediatrician will be familiar with the patterns described - and thus they won't be able to confirm or relieve parents' concerns. Even if a pediatrician accepts parents' concerns, there is no existing tool for confirming an autism diagnosis in an infant. And even if there were such a tool, there are at present no treatments for infants with autism.
While it's possible that the Teitelbaums are quite right in their analysis of infant movement, it's simply too early for this book. Parent activists, however, may choose to use the book as a tool for pressing other researchers to investigate the Teitelbaums' claims and/or develop treatments appropriate for infants.
